Apparatus for producing reflectors



Nov. 3, 1959 A. APPLETON 2,910,962

APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING REFLECTORS Filed April 9, 1958 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 25 mvsmozi Nov. 3, 1959 A. L APPLETQN 2,910,962

APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING REFLECTORS Filed April 9, 1958 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENT OR.

Nov. 3, 1959 A. L APPLETON 2,910,952

APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING REFLECTORS Filed April 9 1958 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENT OR.

. ?the plane of line 5-- 5 of Fig. 4.

United States Patent 2,910,962 APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING REFLECTORS Arthur I. Appleton, Northbrook, Ill. Application April 9, 1958, Serial No. 721,422

8 C im (c 18-59 The present invention relates to the manufacture of porcelain enamel coated lighting reflectors and more particularly to a new and improvedapparatus for use in firing enameled reflectors.

It is the general object of the present invention to provide an apparatus for producing procelain enamel coated lighting reflectors having enameled surfaces at a rate substantially greater than was heretofore possible by present commercial methods. Another object is to provide an apparatus for use in producing enameled reflectors which is easily used with presently existing furmace equipment yet which affords an increased rate of production therefrom and thereby economical manufacture of lighting reflectors.

It is another object of the present invention to provide an improved apparatus for use in producing porcelain enameled lighting reflectors having smooth, unblemished enamel surfaces. p the present invention to provide apparatus for supporting porcelain enamel glazed reflectors in a furnace without marring ,the porcelain finish thereon so that a reflector having a smooth, even, and unblemished sur- Mor p ifi a ly,v is a bje o sary. Still another object is to provide an apparatus of the foregoing character which is simple to assemble and me, s r g and is e s y a p ed f r us w th variou sizes and shapes of reflectors.

Other objects and advantages of the present invenition will become apparent as. the following. description aproceeds taken in connection with the accompanying :drawings wherein:

:Eigure l is a perspective. view of a furnace being loaded with reflectors in accordance with the present inwention.

:Fig. 2 is a vertical section view of a reflector firing apparatus illustrative of .thie present invention supyorting.

.Fig- 6 is -a-p1an view showing still another modified sEig. '10 isaplahnview of stilla further modified form of reflector. support.

, 2,910,952 atented Nov. 3, 1959 F r s a v r cal ti n v w t ken s b an y n the Plane o ne lao Fi 10; I

While certain illustrative forms have-been shown in t e d a n and w b ds ss be ow n ons de b e detail it should he understood that there is no intention to limit the invention tothe specific forms disclosed; On the contrary, the intention is to cover all modifications, alternative constructions, egnival'ents, and uses falling within the spirit and scope ofithe invention as expressed i th ap n e a s Lighting reflectors having porcelain enamel coatings are of Widely v yin si a sh re e end upo their particular intended use and the desired distribntion of light. One illustrative reflector 10 is shown in the d a n and mp ses a p l ve ann m o tion 11 m na n a oute ed e l and tapering, towa ds a tubular n c por i n 1% fin n a am xtur 1" s n ope i Ihs ei f t various po t on will d e 1 119. he h in harac ei s ics s sd- Th flect r a ene all made rom a av au e metal nd a en one m se s o p rcela n vi eou enamel. i

t man fa ur of r fl to 9 h styp he met efle t b dy s. ne a y f rm r m a h a y a ge m t and is gi en one o more coa s o Po c ain vit eou am l- T e ename mating is ne y White ide the reflector and green outside. The coating is then fired und rappmp iat s id iqnsn a u na t prov de a porcelain enameled reflector.-

An illustrative furnace for firing enamel coated .reflectors is shown at -1 8 in Fig. 1. It is the present practice, in firing lighting reflectors. which have been coated with a vitreous porcelain enamel, to support the reflectors d y 0. l a sv rse' r ds 19 e t ing between long tudi l s ppo ts 2 in t e f rn cehe r. p se commercial rm h ssro is 1 1 re gene al y triang la in s ap so as. to present a re at ve y a r w ppe pp n d e to the 1owe ed o a reflectorheen n ted how ve that h me hod o .s pn ti g m fl tor esu s i blem h s an a s 01. 3 the low r e 12 o h reflecto se se by con a t o the supp rods w h th ii iired p r elain enamel coatin Supp rti the r fle tors d rec ly on t e rod thither l mi s th pac y th h m ne to the floor area available in th furnace and on the supporting rods.

In a danc w t th prese inventio p celai enam coa ed refle tor 10 are suppor ed in vertical pairs above the h ah ula r s assho iniFi s 1 and thereby preventing damage to ,the loweredgesoi .the reflectors and at the same time increasing the capacity of the furnace. One apparatus embodying the present invention is lu t 'i i s- 1+3 an omp ise a fi ing suppo 2 2 for elevating the reflectors 10 to be fired above the .rods 12 and which tiers two or more of the reflectors in vertical alinernent for firing in the'iurnace 11; The lower edge 12 of the reflectors 10 never comes into contactwith a su or nd m i s smoo h and unblemished. W one ,refie tq i i j ed above no he e c p y .of the -furnace is at least doubledth ereby increasing the rate of production and at the same time decreasing the cost per reflector fired.

Eor supporting the reflectors one above the other in tiered relation in the furnace, .the novel .firing support 22 QQmPIi F .i 9. m r .SUPPQ members 2 4.!Il0llfli on a base 25 by .n eanspf vertical .post sections 2.6,z-27. The base 25 is desirably formed with a socket. 29 which receives one inserted end of the lower .post section 26 the uppe end o st section 26 vis formed with a socket fidjor. rece gla ,reduced diameterlins rlt d ea s th sni e past section 27., J

The {support members are positioned within the ttub ujlar neckport i n 14 ofthe reflector andsupportingly engage the edge ofthe opening therein. So that the reflector support 24 may readily accommodate various sizes of reflector openings, the support is generally frustoconical in shape and defines a truncated cone having an annular outer surface on which the reflector is supported (Fig. '2). These cones are preferably hollow with a central sleeve portion 31 having a bore 32 for receiving an inserted reduced diameter end portion of'the post on which the support is to be mounted. The intermediate cone, as shown in Fig. 2, is supported on the upper end of the first post, an annular shoulder 34 being provided on the latter against which the central sleeve portion of the cone support abuts. The upper post is then inserted in place'in the lower post and a second cone is then placed upon the upper end of the second post. The diameter of the bore 32 in the upper cone may be somewhat smaller-than the bore of thelintermediate support cone and the upper post 27' is'of a correspondingly reduced diameter.' The upper cone receives an inse'rtedreduced diameter end of the upper post and is in turn supported on a shoulder 35 thereon. The cones may fit freely on the posts or suitable set screws'36 may be provided.

To reduce the area of contact of the cones with the porcelain glaze on the reflectors and at the same time allow for free circulation of the air around the-internal areas of the reflectors; the surfaces of the cone supports are desirably grooved or otherwise ridged to provide spaced land areas which engage the inner edge of the reflector opening. Hot air is thus able to circulate freely through the reflectors and escape through the grooves defined in the annular, surface of the supporting cones. More specifically, the annularsurface of each cone is formed with a plurality of elementally extending grooves 38 defining a plurality of land areas39' on which a reflector will be supported (Fig. 3). The grooves 38 and corresponding land areas 39 maybe of any desired configuration, thatis, the grooves may be rectangular and p the land areasgenerally triangularpas shown in Fig. 3,

or any other suitable configuration may be employed.

1 In order to furtherincrease the air circulation inside a reflector supported on the cones, a plurality of holes 40 may be cut through the support cones inthe groove areas.

' inserted end of a post.

with the distinguishing suflixes a, b,'c, and d, respectively.

' In the first modification shown in Figs. 4 and 5 a support cone 24a is defined by a hollow generally frustoconical member having a central sleeve portion 31a defining a bore 32a for receiving an inserted reduced diameter end portion of a post. For supporting a reflector,

the outer surface of the support cone is provided with a plurality of elementally extending ridges 42. The reflector supporting land areas defined on these ridges may be made relativelynarrow and the height of the ridges above thesurface of the cone will determine the available passage area for air circulation.

vided, as in the previous modification, with a plurality of elementally extending ribs 42b. Interspersed between :these ribs, however, are a plurality ofelongated slots 44 provid ng a highly open support structure.

' The modification shown in Figs. 8 and 9 is'employed "where the lighting reflector-is'formed with a long, nar- :row, tubular neck.' Accordingly, the firing cone support must be 'of diameter ismall enough to fit within the neck. To this end the support 24c,' shown in Fig. '8, comprlses a generally frusto-conicalrnember having a bore 32c therethrough for supporting'the. @9 1? 9 .1

the upper cone and post.

Air circulation through the reflector and the support is provided by a plurality of axially extending slots 45 in the periphery of the cone, four such slots being illustrated.

A further modified form of support cone providing for increased air circulation is shown in Figs. 10 and 11. In this modification the firing support 24d comprises a flange 48 having an external frusto-conical annular surface 49 and provided with a plurality'of axially extending openings 50. For mounting the support on a post, the flange is formed with a sleeve portion 51 having a post receiving bore 32d.- In this instance, while the annular surface is relatively small, it is of suflicient size to engage the edge of the fixture opening in a reflector.

Reflectors are easily mounted or demounted from the firing supports as illustrated in Fig. 1 by simply removing When a glazed reflector is placed over the intermediate cone 24,- the upper cone and post are inserted in place and a second reflector is placed on top. If desired, third and fourth tiers can be provided depending upon the available height of the furnace.

In carrying out the method of the present invention, referring to Fig. l, the reflector supports are placed on the cross bars and the glazed reflectors are placed upon the supports. When the loading area is fullthebars and the reflectors which they carry are placed in the furnace for firing. Desirably, a second set of bars is then loaded ready for firing when the firstgroup is completed. Thus a substantially continuous firing process can be performed. When the firing is complete, the fired reflectors are removed from the supports.

It will be noted that the reflectors are supported at their I upper ends adjacent the opening which ultimately receives pletely eliminates any damage to the lower peripheral edge of the reflector, thus permitting the formation of a smooth undamaged porcelain coating.

I'claim as my invention: v

1-.'For use'in porcelainizingreflectors a firing stand for supporting at least two reflectors'in' vertically tiered relation comprising, in combination, a base, a first post section supported by and extending upwardly from said base, a second post section supported by and extending upwardlyfrom said first post section, and at least two reflector supports in vertically spaced relation on said post sections, each of said supports comprising a truncated cone-shaped'sleeve member, an inner sleeve fixed to said cone atthe smaller end thereof anddefining a borefor receiving an inserted end of a post section, and means on the external surface of said cone for supportingly engaging a reflector and for defining an air circulating passage be tween said cone and the reflector.

2. For use in porcelainizing reflectors, a firing stand for supporting at least two reflectors in vertically tiered relation comprising, in combination, a base, a first post section supported by and extending upwardly from said base, a second post section supported by'and extending upwardly from said first post section, and at least two retion comprising, in combination, a base, a center post supported within and extending upwardly from said base and atleast two reflector supports in vertically spaced relation on post, said supports comprising a truncated cone having a plurality of elementally extending ridges on the outer surface thereof.

4. For use in porcelainizing reflectors, a firing stand for supporting at least two reflectors in vertically tiered relation comprising, in combination, a base, a center post supported by and extending upwardly from said base, and at least two reflector supports in vertically spaced relation on said post, said reflector supports including means for supportingly engaging a reflector and for defining an air circulating passage between said support and a reflector supported thereon.

5. For use in porcelainizing reflectors, a firing stand for supporting at least two reflectors in vertically tiered relation comprising, in combination, a base, a center post supported in and extending upwardly from said base, and at least two reflector supports in vertically spaced relation on said post, each of said supports comprising a truncated cone having a plurality of elemental ridges on the outer surface thereof and a plurality of apertures extending through said cone intermediate said ridges.

6. For use in porcelainizing reflectors, a firing stand for supporting at least two reflectors in vertically tiered relation comprising, in combination, a base, center post supported within and extending upwardly from said base and at least two reflector supports in vertically spaced relation on said post, each of said supports comprising a truncated cone having a plurality of elemental ridges on the outer surface thereof and a plurality of elemental apertures extending through the surface of said cone intermediate said ridges.

7. For use in porcelainizing reflectors, a firing stand for supporting at least two reflectors in vertically tiered relation comprising, in combination, a base, a center post supported within and extending upwardly from said base and at least two reflector. supports in vertically spaced relation on said post, each of said supports comprising a generally frusto-conical means for supporting a reflector and including means defining air circulation apertures therethrough.

8. For use in porcelainizing reflectors, a firing stand for supporting at least two reflectors in vertically tiered relation comprising, in combination, a base, a center post supported within and extending upwardly from said base and at least two reflector supports in vertically spaced relation on said post, said supports comprising a truncated cone having a plurality of evenly spaced slots therein.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

